Vegetarian Nachos with Creamy Cilantro Lime Drizzle
Posted: 04/20/2016
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Words cannot express how badly you need these vegetarian nachos in your life. They’re great on their own but the creamy cilantro lime drizzle puts them over the top!
I feel like if you lived a life where you ate vegetarian nachos every day, you’d be living a pretty good life. Perhaps it wouldn’t be the most low-calorie diet in the world, but it would be tasty!
We’ve had Mexican food three days in a row now. And I’m still looking at these nachos at 9pm and craving them fiercely. Three nights in a row! Oh boy, that sounds worse than it actually is….or maybe it doesn’t sound bad?
On Sunday, we had to try out a new Mexican place that my in-laws said was better than my current favorite (local) Mexican place. They have a live band on Sundays so we had to take the kids and give it a try. Turns out it doesn’t even hold a candle to the place I like, but it was a fun night out nonetheless.
I had bought stuff to make tacos so I did that the next night and then tonight, we had leftovers. OF COURSE.
Tomorrow Ben won’t be home for dinner. So I’ll probably have popcorn. Or maybe I’ll have more leftover tacos. They are the gift that keeps on giving.
About these vegetarian nachos:
I absolutely love these vegetarian nachos – they are packed full of flavor thanks to bell peppers and onions and protein-rich black beans. I toss that whole mixture together with a healthy dose of my homemade taco seasoning. Add in tons of cheese. Please, don’t make nachos without tons of cheese. That’s just not right!
I add an extra boost of flavor with this creamy cilantro lime drizzle. It takes less than 2 minutes to make in the blender and brightens up the nachos perfectly. The cheese and chip situation can tend to get pretty rich (not a bad thing), so the super bright and fresh flavors of the lime and cilantro are the perfect touch on these vegetarian nachos. If you have a bit of this drizzle left over, it makes for a phenomenal salad dressing the next day. Or try topping these nachos with homemade salsa verde–so delicious!
Toppings optional, although highly recommended. What are nachos without toppings? B-O-R-I-N-G. (Actually they’re still pretty darn good but toppings are like icing on the cake. Would you eat cake without frosting?!?)
PS: Want to kick these up a notch? Try them with homemade nacho cheese sauce or pickled red onions. Looking for nachos with no chips? Try these fantastic Cauliflower Nachos! So good!
Want more goodies for a Mexican fiesta?
- Stuffed mini peppers (I love these!)
- Southwestern orzo salad (a total crowd pleaser, and it makes a lot. Perfect for a potluck)
- Southwestern farro salad with roasted poblanos
- Mexican corn dip (if you love Mexican street corn, you’ll love this dip)
- Vegetarian baked toquitos (only 5 ingredients!)
- 7 layer dip (the BEST!)
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
Words cannot express how tasty these vegetarian nachos are. They're great on their own but the creamy cilantro lime drizzle puts them over the top!
Ingredients
Nachos:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ large red onion, chopped
- 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained (reduced sodium, if possible)
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 bag tortilla chips (about a 10 oz. bag)
- 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
- Optional garnishes: cilantro, avocado, tomato, salsa, green onions
Cilantro Lime Drizzle:
- ½ cup sour cream (reduced fat is okay)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (reduced fat is okay)
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon lime juice (zest lime before juicing!)
- ½ cup tightly packed torn cilantro leaves and stems
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon honey
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers and onions and sauté until softened. Add black beans and taco seasoning; stir to combine.
- Coat 2 sheet pans with nonstick cooking spray. Spread chips into an even layer on pan. Top with half of cheese, then with pepper and bean mixture, then top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and melted.
- Meanwhile, blend creamy cilantro lime drizzle ingredients together in a blender until combined and no large pieces of cilantro remain.
- Drizzle sauce over nachos immediately prior to serving. Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
- This recipe is gluten-free. Most tortilla chips are made with ground corn although some may have added wheat flour. Be sure to read the label carefully to ascertain that the chips are gluten-free.
- Speaking of chips, it's really up to you how many chips you want to use. If you use a lot more than 10 oz., you may need to add more shredded cheese.
- The nutrition information does not include extra toppings.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 349kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 647mg, Potassium: 386mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1072IU, Vitamin C: 45mg, Calcium: 413mg, Iron: 2mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Husband’s take: He devours these vegetarian nachos. I mean really, who wouldn’t love these?
Changes I would make: None!
Difficulty: Easy.
Disclosure: I am thrilled to be a dairy ambassador for Milk Means More. I have been compensated by Milk Means More for my time to develop this recipe and write this post. All opinions are as always, my own. Find out more about why Milk Means More on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
Charlie Ralph says
Would you have any suggestions what I could substitute for the peppers?
I have an allergy.
Rachel Gurk says
Hmmm…you could leave them out completely, or you could try carrots! Sounds a little weird, I know, but they would add a nice sweetness like the bell peppers. Just make sure to saute them long enough with the onions so they are nice and soft and then add lots of great taco seasoning. Enjoy!
Nutmeg Nanny says
I LOVE making nachos at home. I’m a huge fan of getting them out but I often times get annoyed at the topping to chip ratio. When I make them at home I know I’m getting my nachos fully loaded! Love that you made these vegetarian too :)
denise says
looks great
tanya says
Hahaha when my husband travels, I eat popcorn for dinner too! BUT if I had these nachos, then boy would I be happy. That dressing sounds spectacular!
Beverley Press says
thank you from the bottom of my heart me and my vegetarian friends too! what a treat xoxo
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
My family could it this every single day for MORE than 3 nights in a row!! Extra creamy cilantro lime drizzle for me, please. ;)
Medha says
I love nachos as a meal- especially with that creamy cilantro dressing :) Yum!
Cookin Canuck says
Nothing wrong with Mexican food three nights in a row, particularly when these nachos are involved. I’m pretty sure that cilantro cream drizzle should be eaten with a spoon.
cookbook queen says
I LOVE veggies piled on my nachos — forget the meat. These look so colorful and yummy!!
Christine @ WRY TOAST says
YUM! not only do these look fantastic, but that drizzle?! so amazing, I need it!!! awesome rach x